Oilsands processing using inline agitation and an inclined plate separator
A method and system of separating a mixture of water, diluted bitumen and a mineral phase comprising fine solids, produced from oil-wet or carbonate-cemented oil sands ore, includes the steps of agitating the mixture to produce a micronized emulsion of the diluted bitumen in a continuous water phase such that a majority of the diluted bitumen associates with the fine solids, and passing the micronized emulsion through a separator to produce a bitumen stream enriched in bitumen and fine solids, and a water stream.
1. A method of separating a mixture of water, diluted bitumen and a mineral phase comprising fine solids, wherein the mixture is produced from oil-wet or carbonate-cemented oil sands ore, comprising the following steps:
(a) agitating the mixture to produce a micronized emulsion of the diluted bitumen in a continuous water phase such that a majority of the diluted bitumen associates with the fine solids; and
(b) passing the micronized emulsion through a separator to produce a bitumen stream enriched in bitumen and fine solids, and a water stream, wherein the micronized emulsion is produced in an in-line agitator comprising a pipe defining a plurality of openings, by passing the mixture through the openings under pressure sufficient to shear the bitumen into micronized droplets.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the separator is an inclined plate separator (IPS) and wherein the water stream comprises an IPS overflow and the enriched bitumen stream comprises an IPS underflow.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fine solids comprise particles having an average particle size of about 75 um or less.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein greater than about 80% or about 90% of the bitumen associates with fine solids and is recovered in the IPS underflow.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the water stream is passed through an oil-water separator to recover any remaining bitumen.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the bitumen stream is further treated to produce a substantially pure diluted bitumen stream.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the bitumen stream is further treated in a three phase separating centrifuge.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the water stream from the separator is substantially free of bitumen and solids.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure is sufficient to create fluid velocity of about 10 ft/s as the mixture passes through an opening of about ¼″ in diameter.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the micronized emulsion comprises diluted bitumen droplets having at least one dimension less than about 50 microns.
11. A system for treating a mixture of water, diluted bitumen and fine solids, wherein the mixture is produced from oil-wet or carbonate-cemented oil sands ore, to produce a bitumen enriched stream, comprising:
(a) an agitator for agitating the mixture to produce a micronized emulsion of the diluted bitumen in a continuous water phase; and
(b) a separator for producing a bitumen stream enriched in bitumen and fine solids, and a water stream,
wherein the agitator is an in-line mixer comprising an inlet pipe disposed within a manifold pipe, wherein the inlet pipe difines a plurity of openings, wherein the total area of the openings is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the inlet pipe.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the separator is an inclined plate separator.